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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25394404">checkup</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tellmewhatyousee/pseuds/tellmewhatyousee'>tellmewhatyousee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>cor meum — AceLaw College AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Med Student Law, Medical Examination, can u tell what my special interest is, rated for some suggestive dialogue, this is soft and I'm soft, this wasn't supposed to be this long but i just kept on writing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:48:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,265</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25394404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tellmewhatyousee/pseuds/tellmewhatyousee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Law needs some experience in the more practical side of his studies. Luckily, he has a very willing patient.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Portgas D. Ace/Trafalgar D. Water Law</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>cor meum — AceLaw College AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>tellmewhatyousee's Personal Faves</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>checkup</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Law opened the door of his dorm room, he was not expecting to find Ace. But there he was, leaning against the doorframe, out of breath. Despite his visible exhaustion, he flashed his signature grin when they made eye contact.</p><p>“What… did you <em>run </em>here?” Law asked.</p><p>Ace shrugged. “I didn’t wanna keep you waiting,” he said.</p><p>“I didn’t even specify a<em> time,”</em> Law said, but stepped aside to let Ace in regardless. “I was just asking about your availability.”</p><p>While Ace walked into the room, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “<em>Are you free tonight? I have sort of a strange request,</em>” he read from the text Law had sent him all of five minutes ago. “How can you say something like <em>that</em> and not expect me to run over here?  Have I ever been one to ignore my boyfriend's titillating promises?” </p><p>“I didn’t promise <em>anything, </em>and it’s not like that,” Law said. “Also, it’s four in the afternoon. You’re a little early.”</p><p>Ace shrugged again as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. “It’s never too early for a little fun, babe,” he said, stepping closer to Law. His voice got lower when he asked, “What was it you had in mind?”</p><p>Law put a hand on Ace’s chest and gave him a gentle push to put some distance between them. “It’s nothing… sexual,” he said, trying to ignore the immediate look of disappointment on Ace’s face. “I need your help studying.”</p><p>Ace furrowed his brow and stood up a bit straighter. “Studying?” he echoed. At least he still seemed interested. “What can I do to help <em>you?</em> You’re way smarter than me.”</p><p>“Well, fortunately, your part doesn’t really require any brain power.” Law took Ace’s hand and led him over towards his bed. He figured, if Ace was already there, he might as well just get it over with. “You just have to sit still and cooperate. Think you can manage that?”</p><p>Ace raised an eyebrow, and Law could spot a faint blush on his cheeks as he sat down on the edge of the bed. “You said it’s... <em>not</em> a sex thing?” he asked. “‘Cause I’m not gonna lie, I kinda dig this tone you’re givin’ me right now.” </p><p>Law rolled his eyes. “Yes, I can tell you for certain that this is <em>not </em>a ‘sex thing,'” he said. “I need more practical experience with what I’m learning right now, and you’re just about the only person I could think of who would let me do this.” He turned to open the textbook that was sitting on his nightstand. “So, with your permission, I’d like to give you a physical exam.”</p><p>Ace tilted his head slightly, just gazing up at Law. After a moment, he smiled. “Okay,” he said, “Sure. It’s not gonna hurt or anything, right?”</p><p>“Not unless I royally fuck something up, no,” Law answered as he started flipping through the textbook. “But I like to think I’m pretty capable.”</p><p>Ace nodded. “Yeah, I trust you,” he said. “Do you need me to take anything off?”</p><p>Law paused, admittedly surprised Ace was being so compliant. “Maybe your shirt, just to make things easier,” he answered. “But whatever you’re comfortable with is fine.”</p><p>Of course, when he turned around, Ace was dressed in nothing but his flame-patterned boxers, grinning like an idiot. Law wasn’t sure what else he’d expected, really. He didn’t comment on it, though, and simply reached for the hand sanitizer by the textbook. “Would you say you’re… generally healthy at the moment?” he asked.</p><p>“Isn’t that your job to find out, doctor?” Ace practically purred, and snickered when Law gave him a Look. His tone went back to normal when he answered, “As far as I know, yeah.”</p><p>“Good.” Law glanced down at the textbook before he held his hand out towards Ace. “Let me see your hand?”</p><p>Ace did as he was asked, and Law put two fingers to his pulse while he lifted his free hand to look at his watch. A silence sat between them, in which Ace stayed remarkably still, before Law let his wrist go. His pulse was… abnormally fast. “I don’t like that you seem… excited by this,” Law said, studying Ace’s expression carefully.</p><p>Ace snickered. “Listen, you’re gonna put your hands all over me, how can I not be?” he asked. “But I promise I’ll be good for you and not pop a boner unless you want me to, okay?”</p><p>Law rolled his eyes. “As if you have that much self control,” he said. Regardless, Law continued on, opening a duffel bag that sat on the bed. “I’m going to check your blood pressure next.” Thankfully, Ace kept quiet while Law pulled out a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope. He let the stethoscope hang around his neck while he fastened the cuff on Ace’s arm.</p><p>“What’s a healthy blood pressure, anyway?” Ace asked, watching the careful movements of Law’s hands. “What are the numbers?”</p><p>Law raised an eyebrow. “What, are you quizzing me?” he asked.</p><p>Ace grinned. “You’re studying, aren’t you?”</p><p>Law scoffed, but he couldn’t help the slight smile on his face as he grabbed the stethoscope again. “For someone your age, around 120 over 80,” he answered.</p><p>Ace nodded. “And, uh… what does that mean, exactly?” he asked.</p><p>“The first number measures how much force your heart puts on the walls of your arteries when it beats,” Law explained, “The second number measures the same thing, but<em> between</em> beats. If the numbers are too high or too low, that can cause a lot of problems. Stay quiet for a moment, please.” He pumped air into the cuff, watching the pressure meter carefully. After a few moments, he furrowed his brow, and pulled the earpieces out of his ears while he glanced over at the textbook again.</p><p>“Is… something wrong?” Ace asked.</p><p>“Did I do this backwards?” Law muttered. </p><p>“Backwards?” Ace echoed. “Is that even possible?”</p><p>“Well, if those numbers are right, you shouldn’t be breathing right now,” Law said, and turned back to adjust the cuff. “Maybe I put it on wrong?”</p><p>Ace shrugged. “It does feel kinda loose,” he said. “Aren’t these things supposed to, like, crush your arm?”</p><p>“Not quite, no,” Law replied as he unfastened the cuff. “You might be right, though, I think it’s too loose. Let me try that again.”</p><p>He re-fastened the cuff, tighter this time, and tried again. Ace watched on with a patient smile all the while, and Law let out a sigh of relief when the numbers he got this time made a whole lot more sense. “Yeah, it was just loose,” he said with a little nod as he removed the cuff. “Sorry about that.”</p><p>“Hey, no worries,” Ace replied. “It’s practice, right? Fucking up in this stage is good, ‘cause you learn from it.”</p><p>Law raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised to hear such a competent statement from Ace, of all people. “That’s very true,” he said as he tucked the blood pressure cuff away. He kept the stethoscope, though, and put the earpieces back in before he rested a hand on Ace’s shoulder. “I’m… going to listen to your chest now,” he said.</p><p>Ace just smiled. “I figured as much,” he said. “You don’t have to narrate yourself, you know, it’s just me. You can do whatever you <em>want—”</em></p><p>“It’s part of the process, shut up.” Law gave him a light smack on the shoulder before he pressed the diaphragm of the stethoscope to the left side of Ace’s chest. The beat was strong and steady, though his heart rate had calmed down somewhat since Law had initially taken his pulse. He listened to a few different places around Ace’s chest, occasionally glancing at the textbook for reference, and it was a good few minutes before he realized Ace was just… staring up at him.</p><p>Law took the earpieces out again. “What?”</p><p>Ace giggled. “Nothing, just… can I listen?” he asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard my own heartbeat before.”</p><p>Law hesitated for only a moment before he passed the stethoscope over to Ace. It wasn’t like he was getting a grade on this particular exam, so he figured a little detour wouldn’t hurt. “Go ahead.”</p><p>Once Ace had the earpieces in, Law placed the diaphragm back on his chest, right where Ace would be able to hear his heartbeat the loudest. “Whoa...” Ace said, resting his hand over Law’s. “That’s really cool.” He moved Law’s hand around to different spots as Law had before, and while there was really no rhyme or reason to the places he chose to listen, Law wasn’t about to comment on it. “Can I listen to yours?”</p><p>Law blinked, a bit taken aback by the question. “What?”</p><p>“Your heart. Can I listen?”</p><p>Law paused. He certainly didn’t have anything to learn from someone else listening to his heart, so it wasn’t really necessary. However, Ace had been pretty cooperative thus far, so… maybe Law could just indulge him. “If you’d like.”</p><p>“I think I<em> would </em>like.” Ace smiled as he took the diaphragm away from his chest, and Law leaned forward slightly so that Ace could place it on his own. Ace was quiet for a moment, his expression one of concentration, before a smirk appeared on his face. “Are you nervous?” he asked.</p><p>Law tensed ever so slightly, and he felt his heart flutter. Oh, he hated that. “I think that’s enough of that for now,” he said as he took the stethoscope back. He ignored Ace’s giggles while he hung the stethoscope around his neck again. Though, it was hard to ignore Ace's dumb grin when Law took his face in his hands. “I’m going to palpate around your face and neck, just tell me if anything hurts,” he said. Right when he pressed his fingers down, Ace made a face. “What?”</p><p>“I don’t like that word,” Ace said with a chuckle. “<em>Palpate. </em>It sounds gross.” </p><p>Law rolled his eyes. “It’s a medically accurate term,” he said, “Deal with it.” He heard more giggles as he started feeling his way around Ace’s face, but tried his best to concentrate on the task at hand. Ace didn’t seem to have much of a problem with any of the touches— that is, until Law’s hands found his neck, and he shuddered. Law gave him a look. <em>“Ace.”</em></p><p>“What?” Ace asked. “Your hands are fuckin’ freezing. At least give a guy a warning.”</p><p>Law frowned, and rubbed his hands together in an attempt to warm them up. He muttered an apology before he placed his hands back on Ace’s neck. “Better?”</p><p>“Now, I didn’t say I <em>minded </em>the cold hands,” Ace began, but the look Law gave him finally got him to shut up. At least, for the moment.</p><p>Law had to glance at his textbook a few times, just to make sure he was doing things correctly, but he managed to get through it without much trouble. “No pain or discomfort?” he asked, and Ace shook his head. “Good. Could you lie down?” With that, Law immediately directed his attention back to his textbook in order to ignore the suggestive glance he knew Ace would be giving him. Ace complied nonetheless, and Law grabbed his stethoscope again to start listening to his abdomen.</p><p>Ace stayed nice and quiet, even as Law put the stethoscope away and started pressing down on different parts of his stomach. “Let me know if anything hurts, okay?” he asked, but when he looked up at Ace’s face for an answer, he realized the man was sound asleep.</p><p>Typical.</p><p>With a sigh, Law closed up his bag and set it down on the floor. He pulled a blanket over Ace before he sat down beside him on the bed— there wasn’t nearly enough room for two fully-grown men, but Law was comfortable enough to study from his textbook while he waited for Ace to wake up.</p><p>He wasn’t sure how long it had been when Ace finally stirred, but he looked over just in time to see that dopey grin he always displayed when he woke up next to Law. “Sorry, babe, did I doze off on you?” Ace asked.</p><p>“Yes, I didn’t get to finish,” Law answered as he looked back to his book.</p><p>“You could’a just kept goin’, it’s not like I’m a light sleeper.”</p><p>“An effective exam generally requires the patient to be conscious.”</p><p>“Ooh, I love it when you get all technical on me,” Ace said as he scooted closer, wrapping his arms around Law’s waist. “So, doc, what’s my diagnosis?”</p><p>Law raised an eyebrow. “You know I can’t actually diagnose you, right?” he asked. “I have a bachelor’s degree.”</p><p>Ace giggled, though it was slightly muffled from the way his face was pressed against Law’s side. “I know, you dork,” he said. “You’re s’posed to say something cute.”</p><p>“Oh?” Law asked, “Like what?”</p><p>Ace paused, really thinking on that one. “I dunno, like… ‘I diagnose you with <em>Good Boyfriend.’”</em></p><p>Law hummed. “Sure, that checks out,” he replied, resisting the urge to point out what a grammatical nightmare that sentence was.</p><p>“But... doctor, I think it’s terminal,” Ace continued. “Do you know what the cure might be?”</p><p>Law finally closed his book to look down at Ace properly. The sleepy look on his face was practically irresistible, and Law felt the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile. “I think I have an idea,” he mumbled before he leaned down to give Ace a kiss.</p>
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